State News The
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Keep your enemies close ourtesy Photo c
of ali b
by Emily Jenks
ejenks@statenews.com
“Beat Michigan” shirts. Smack talk on social media. U-M’s block ‘M’ spray-painted green with “S-U” scrawled next to it. A taxidermied wolverine in a maize and blue vest, hanging by a noose from the back of a van with license plate “ST8 VAN” along with a banner reading, “The only good Wolverine …” parked outside the Starbucks on Grand River Avenue. There’s no mistaking it — it’s Michigan week. But even with all the animosity, harsh words and pranks from both sides, many MSU students have family, friends and even significant others behind enemy lines. House divided International relations junior Ali Bazzi and his sister Amani
Bazzi, a U-M student, have more than just a sibling rivalry. Ali Bazzi said they grew up U-M fans wearing maize and blue gear as little kids since their dad was a fan, but Ali Bazzi chose to attend MSU instead. “Now (my dad) is a die-hard Spartan since I went to MSU,” he said. “He switches it up every day, really.” His father got them an MSU–U-M “house divided” flag, which they posed with outside their home in Dearborn Heights. Ali Bazzi and Amani Bazzi’s younger siblings, a freshman in high school and an elementary student, have already shown preferences in the green-and-blue family. “My high school sister is a die-hard Michigan fan and my little brother is 9 and is always talking crap about Michigan and wearing State gear,” Ali Bazzi said. “My sister (Amani Bazzi) will always tell me Michigan is better, but even she knows that they’re probably going to lose this year.” Continued on pages 4-5
No. 8 Spartans take on in-state rival U-M at home on Saturday See pages 6-7
The players celebrate with the Paul Bunyan trophy after the game against Michigan on Nov. 2, 2013, at Spartan Stadium. state news file photo F RIday, Oc tob e r 24 , 2 014
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